TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH VIDEOLESSONS: THEORIES AND METHODS

The aim of this work is to analyze psycho-pedagogical theories and methods linked to the modes of communication and knowledge dissemination by means of videolessons, in order to highlight the strengths and the weaknesses bound to the video-communication of the academicians. At present, very interesting phenomena are manifesting in the world, the use of the most powerful platform in history is rapidly advancing, i.e. the Web, to digitize scientific contents from academic professors, which are not only textual but also videos. In particular, there are many videolessons that are conducted by prestigious professors in many Universities worldwide, both on YouTube and on MOOC platforms. The videolessons that can be watched on YouTube for free, as well as those uploaded in the MOOCs and delivered by the most prestigious American and European Universities, bear patent methodological lacks, linked to the communication model of the videolessons. These do not have a well-defined format, nor their structure consents to assume that behind the video communication there is a specific didactic model and solid theoretical grounds underpinning the communication model, so the didactics by means of a peculiar language, which is the language of the image with its rules and theories. Video technologies lead academic teachers to cope with and face a new language for transmitting knowledge that certainly does not belong to their normal teaching method. The teachers have to learn a new mode for explaining, synthesizing, laying out the subjects, linking images and words, taking into account body language, posture and clothing. The continuous research activities, analyses and testing conducted by the working staff I have been coordinating at the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, allowed to define and elaborate communication models to be applied in the making of videolessons and multimedia teaching materials linked to them. In order to conduct the research 1000 students got involved who were given a questionnaire. The questions of the questionnaires had the goal to verify the way the videolessons were used to develop their learning processes. The outcomes of this research activity, the study and the deepening of the theories related to communication, learning, and memory allowed to identify useful models to explain a lesson to virtual students, languages and styles to be adopted by a video-teacher with the aim to trigger a critical and reflective learning process.